Conventional ironing boards have lengthy folding legs or stands that can be extended to allow the ironing board to be supported on the floor at a height convenient for use. Even when the ironing board legs are retracted, the board is lengthy such that it occupies considerable space when offered for sale in retail stores. This is a significant drawback because of the premium that is placed on space in many retail stores of the type that carry ironing boards. Shipping such lengthy items also creates difficulties, as does storing long ironing boards in households when they are not being used.
Ironing boards have been constructed with shorter legs that are intended to allow use of the ironing board on top of a table. While this type of construction is advantageous when there is inadequate floor space available, or when it is otherwise inconvenient to use the ironing board on the floor, the ironing board is still lengthy and thus subject to the same problems regarding shipping, storage and occupying excessive space in stores. Further, tabletop ironing boards are so close to the tabletop that clothes resting on the ironing surface do not hang freely but instead tend to bunch up on top of the table. This bunching effect makes it more difficult to iron the clothes effectively and adds to the time required to press them.